Colossenses 3
William Barclay · Citado em PreceptAustin
Colossenses 3
Barclay writes that… the Christian (should) see everything in the light and against the background of eternity… He (should) no longer live as if this world was all that mattered (Ed: Excepting of course the souls of men still in the world); he (should) see this world against the background of the large world of eternity. Arthur says… Those who have been raised with Christ must 'seek those things which are above'. Only a person who has died and been born again can do that. It is a very persistent cliché in Christian circles to refer to people who have not yet come to faith in Christ as 'seekers'. This is not a biblically informed way to describe such people. Paul writes elsewhere that, by nature, 'There is none who seeks after God' (Ro 3:11+). If anything, rather than searching for God, unbelievers run away from Him and search for excuses (cp Jn 3:19, 20, 21). Some go looking for miraculous signs, while others seek wisdom (1Co 1:22, Jn 2:28, Mk 8:11, Mt 12:39, 40), but this is often a ploy to avoid real contact with God. Ever since the first man hid himself in the garden (Ge 3:8) and God came looking for him (Ge 3:9), mankind has been lost (Ro 5:12+). It is God who does the seeking (cp Lk 19:10). For those who are trying to hide, spirituality can be a very effective smokescreen. But once a person has been taught by grace to value Christ, he will seek more contact with Him. Incidentally, it is also worth noting that Paul did not encourage his readers to 'seek those things which are within'. It is often supposed that the way to enlightenment involves looking inside ourselves. The way of the mystic can seem very attractive. But the only light that it offers is like those lanterns that used to be hung out on the cliff tops of the Cornish coast by wreckers to lure ships into danger. That way lies shipwreck. The human heart, human instincts and motives have all been fatally skewed by the Fall. There is no hope of spiritual enlightenment or safety for those who go looking in that direction. We must steer our course in the direction of the only true and safe light, 'where Christ is'. In the Greek, the verb translated 'seek' means that we are to seek continually, with determination and consistency. Sporadic and fitful seeking will not suffice. (Christ All-Sufficient Colossians and Philemon Simply Explained) Wayne House: This continual, ongoing process of seeking, suggested by the present imperative, is to be the consequence of having "been raised up with Christ." For Paul there was no reason for anyone to be "seeking the things above" if he had not been raised with Christ. The road to the heavenly realm was through Christ, not through asceticism or mysticism. (15 page article in Bibliotheca Sacra The Christian Life According to Colossians)
Colossenses 3
Barclay writes "He is certainly not pleading for an other worldliness in which the Christian withdraws himself from all the work and activities of this world and does nothing but contemplate eternity. Immediately after this Paul goes on to lay down a series of ethical principles which make it quite clear that he expects the Christian to go on with the work of this world and to maintain all its normal relationships. But there will be this difference-from now on the Christian will view everything against the background of eternity and no longer live as if this world was all that mattered. This will obviously give him a new set of values. Things which the world thought important, he will no longer worry about. Ambitions which dominated the world, will be powerless to touch him. He will go on using the things of the world but he will use them in a new way. He will, for instance, set giving above getting, serving above ruling, forgiving above avenging. The Christian's standard of values will be God's not men's. Look … Look around & be distressed. Look inside & be depressed. Look at Jesus & be at rest. ---Corrie Ten Boom Torrey's Topic Seeking God Commanded -Isaiah 55:6; Matthew 7:7 INCLUDES SEEKING His Name -Psalms 83:16 His word -Isaiah 34:16 His face -Psalms 27:8; 105:4 His strength -1 Chronicles 16:11; Psalms 105:4 His commandments -1 Chronicles 28:8; Malachi 2:7 His precepts -Psalms 119:45,94 His kingdom -Matthew 6:33; Luke 12:31 His righteousness -Matthew 6:33 Christ -Malachi 3:1; Luke 2:15,16 Honour which comes from him -John 5:44 Justification by Christ -Galatians 2:16,17 The city which God has prepared -Hebrews 11:10,16; 13:14 By prayer -Job 8:5; Daniel 9:3 In his house -Deuteronomy 12:5; Psalms 27:4 SHOULD BE Immediate -Hosea 10:12 Evermore -Psalms 105:4 While he may be found -Isaiah 55:6 With diligence -Hebrews 11:6 With the heart -Deuteronomy 4:29; 1Chr 22:19 In the day of trouble -Psalms 77:2 Ensures His being found -Dt 4:29; 1Chr 28:9; Pr 8:17; Je 29:13 His favour -Lamentations 3:25 His protection -Ezra 8:22 His not forsaking us -Psalms 9:10 Life -Psalms 69:32; Amos 5:4,6 Prosperity -Job 8:5,6; Psalms 34:10 Being heard of him -Psalms 34:4 Understanding all things -Proverbs 28:5 Gifts of righteousness -Hosea 10:12 Imperative upon all -Isaiah 8:19 Afflictions designed to lead to -Psalms 78:33,34; Hosea 5:15 None, by nature, are found to be engaged in -Ps 14:2; Ro 3:11; Lk 12:23,30 SAINTS Specially exhorted to -Zephaniah 2:3 Desirous of -Job 5:8 Purpose, in heart -Psalms 27:8 Prepare their hearts for -2 Chronicles 30:19 Set their hearts to -2 Chronicles 11:16 Engage in, with the whole heart -2 Chronicles 15:12; Psalms 119:10 Early in -Job 8:5; Psalms 63:1; Isaiah 26:9 Earnest in -Solomon 3:2,4 Characterised by -Psalms 24:6 Is never in vain -Isaiah 45:19 Blessedness of -Psalms 119:2 Leads to joy -Psalms 70:4; 105:3 Ends in praise -Psalms 22:26 Promise connected with -Psalms 69:32 Shall be rewarded -Hebrews 11:6 THE WICKED Are gone out of the way of -Psalms 14:2,3; Romans 3:11,12 Prepare not their hearts for -2 Chronicles 12:14 Refuse, through pride -Psalms 10:4 Not led to, by affliction Isaiah 9:13 Sometimes pretend to -Ezra 4:2; Isaiah 58:2 Rejected, when too late in -Proverbs 1:28 They who neglect denounced -Isaiah 31:1 Punishment of those who neglect -Zephaniah 1:4-6 Exemplified Asa -2 Chronicles 14:7 Jehoshaphat -2 Chronicles 17:3,4 Uzziah -2 Chronicles 26:5 Hezekiah -2 Chronicles 31:21 Josiah -2 Chronicles 34:3 Ezra -Ezra 7:10 David -Psalms 34:4 Daniel -Daniel 9:3,4 WHERE CHRIST IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD: hou o Christos estin (3SPAI) en dexia tou theou kathemenos (PMPMSN): Ps 110:1; Mt 22:44; 26:64; Mk 16:19; Lk 22:69; Ac 7:55; Ro 8:34; Ep 1:20; 4:10; He 1:3,13;1:13, 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; 1Pet 3:22 Colossians 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Colossians 3:1-4 Living the Risen Life - John MacArthur WHERE IS CHRIST TODAY? Christ is seated, - Both verbs "is" and "seated" are present tense, indicating that this is Christ's continual position, the position of supreme privilege and authority. Christ is ever dwelling, abiding at the right hand of His Father, where He is ever ready to intercede for us (Ro 8:34+; Heb 7:25+). And since we are seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ep 2:6+), in some inexplicably "mystical" way we too are seated at the right hand of God the Father -- above all rule and authority and power and dominion (which speaks of the demonic hierarchy) in this age and the one to come (Ep 1:21 - +) Eadie adds that "The region of spiritual death is a nether-world, that of life is an elevated realm—the living not only rise, but they sit with Christ “in the heavenly places… The image seems to be—the region of the dead is beneath; they are let down to their final resting-place. Should, then, a man rise from this dark and deep receptacle, and ascend to the living world, would he set his desires on the gloom, and chill, and rottenness, he had left behind him? Would he place the objects of his search among the coffins, and the mean and creeping things that live on putrefaction? Would he still seek for things below? At the very idea and memory of that locality would not his spirit shudder? (Eadie, John: Commentary on Paul's Epistle to the Colossians - Online - 1884)